Taishi Toma

      "...can't hear them? I'm ignoring them [Tsurugi's screams]!"

Taishi Toma (塔間 泰士 Touma Taishi), mostly referred to as "Toma-san", is the vice manager of Tokyo's C3 branch.

History
Tom lived and grew up with his parents who would daily abused him physically and verbally. When he was in high school, Toma picked up Tsurugi Kamiya, which his parents mistook him as bringing a dog. Despite this, Toma successfully hid Tsurugi from his parents and raised the boy himself.

During high school, he used to be in the same class as Toru Shirota, Mahiru's uncle. Despite Toru considering him as his friend and tried to invite him to eat together, Toma always dismissed Toru's kind gesture, believing that Toru only unnecessarily sympathised with him.

Later on, Toma eventually killed his parents by staging an accident. When a C3 member confirmed their death to him and handed him application should he is interested in joining the organization, Toma was delighted as he and Tsurugi are finally freed. With his parents gone, he finally brought out Tsurugi outside for the first time. Both of them then joined C3.

At one point, 16 years before the story, Toma somehow became close with Mahiru's mother and they were in a relationship. However, this relationship presumedly didn't last long as both lived separately and never married. Toma was even unaware that he conceived a son with her as she never told him. Only until he was confronted by Toru after her death that Toma knew the existence of his son, Mahiru.

Story
The first time Toma appears, he is not seen completely, but contacts the C3 trio via phone in order to tell Tsurugi that he will get as much money as he wants if he gets the job done.

The second time he is seen watching the fight between Tsurugi and Mikuni via monitors in a distant room within the C3 headquarters. A young lady appears and tries to tell him that the president of C3 is on the phone but Toma just ignores her. She again tries to get his attention and reminds him that smoking is prohibited here. Toma (who refers to the not lit cigarette in his mouth) now pays attention and claims he is not smoking at all. But then he gets up and leaves the room (probably answering the phone.)

After learning from the president, that they (the president) have to go to London, Toma is informed about Tsurugi having a breakdown. Without hesitation, he goes to the hospital ward (still within the C3 HQ). This is the first time he meets Mahiru Shirota in person. He introduces himself and then talks to Tsurugi. When Tsurugi then says he is 17 years old and calls him Tai-chan instead of Toma-san, Toma recommends that Tsurugi seems to feel a little unwell.

After that Toma is threatened by Yumikage and Junichiro, but doesn't show any fear, just making clear that he is the one in power - not them.

They ask him to give Tsurugi some time off, but Toma just responds how good it is that Kurumamori is back from his "father time" (which means that he won't allow Tsurugi to take time off). After that he goes to speak to Dr. Yabushi - the doctor of C3 - in order to give Tsurugi stronger medicine.

Once he is alone with Tsurugi, Toma tells him that their relationship is more like family, rather than having a power imbalance. Tsurugi agrees, smiling.

A short time later, the subclass of Wrath commit a jailbreak. Toma calms the upset Tsurugi and assures him that it was just an accident. He sends Tsurugi to annihilate all vampires that escaped - without exception.

Then Toma enters the commanding office - where the C3 members seem desperate because they don't know how to organize the situation (so many have to be evacuated, but only one is free to do so). Toma comes in and orders all of them to help the evacuation, he will take over from here. The members seem to be very grateful and do as he says. Then he uses loudspeaker to make clear, that Kamiya, Tsurugi will take care of the escapees, and should kill them all.

Mahiru crosses Tsurugi's way and Toma tells Tsurugi to fight him too, if he stands in the way. Mahiru wants Tsurugi to understand that he can't use his powers without limits. Toma then tells them that Tsurugi isn't worth anything if he doesn't kill.

Later, when the whole building is about to collapse, Toma hurries to save Tsurugi. When he arrives, Tsurugi at first believes, that Toma is only an illusion, but The Mother proves him wrong. Toma reaches his hand out for Tsurugi and helps him to get up - he askes if he is hurt and tells him that they have to escape as soon as possible. When Tsurugi tells Toma about the possible contract with The Mother and that he now suggests, that not he but Tai-chan should become The Mother's new Eve, Taishi shoots her.

While the building continues to collapse, he and Mahiru have another argument - basically about Mahirus father, that Toma seemed to know. He confronts him with Mahiru's worst fear concerning his father, that he himself will become such a terrible person like him. Toma confirms that Mahiru's father is indeed a "terrible, wicked man". It's revealed to the reader that Toma is indeed Mahiru's father through several hints and clear moments later on.

He reveals, that his ultimate goal ist to create Servamps to change (destroy) the world, so that people will never forget his name and call him by that. Mahiru states, that he probably only wanted two persons to call out his name - his parents who are already dead. Toma admits, that there is one thing he really regrets and that is the fact, that he had not taken Tsurugi somewhere sooner and that the little warmth Tsurugi gave him was enough reason for him to live.

When Tsurugi comes to help Toma getting out of the building, Toma pushes him away and gets buried under the falling rocks. In his last words he is thanking Tsurugi that he was with him, because he was the only reason for Toma to live that long.

While Tomas body wasn't found, C3 believed him to be dead. When Toru writes the report of the incident, he is phoned by an unknown number which is revieled to be Toma's. Toma is still alive (meaning he faked his own death) and just phoned him because he wanted to know if Toru still believes, that he (Toma) is Mahirus father. Toru tells him, that he is sure of it and points out, that Mahiru and Toma are both really stubborn. Toma then asks Toru not to tell Tsurugi that he is alive - because to Tsurugi he was only a hindrance. Before Toru is able to answer, Tsurugi grabs the cellphone and tells Toma to come back.

Personality
Not too much is known about his personality but it seems he is really some kind of "bad guy" like Tsurugi says himself.

He doesn't seem to be able to empathize with others, which is seen when he is asked if he could not hear Tsurugi's screams and replies that he does hear them, but ignores them. Same goes for him ordering Tsurugi to kill Mahiru when he comes in their way. He always acts cold and brutal - only caring for his own goal, not about the well-being of others.

Toma doesn't really care about rules other people make - as he smokes although it's forbidden. When his boss (the president) phoned him, Toma was in no hurry at all but let him wait, as if he thought he was one of the most important people.

His appearance is powerful and he seems to be feared in C3 by some. He seems to have a lot of self-confidence, but on the other hand he implies that he might also has some kind of inferiority complex (as he says to Tsurugi "So that we can show what we're worth." This sounds as though he still feels that he has to prove his own worth to himself - but that's only an interpretation.) He describes himself as a "purebred villain".

Despite his apathetic and cold nature, he has shown to have some care towards the people close to him, especially Tsurugi.

Abilities
Parameters:
 * Physical Strength: 4/10
 * Tactics: 10/10
 * Spirit of Cooperation: 1/10
 * Mental: 9/10
 * Outward Appearance: 7/10
 * Amount of Smoking: 9/10

Quotes

 * "Let's kill them! Kill them and return to peace!" (About The Mother's subclass)


 * "Now, shall we begin? [...] Kamiya Tsurugi, annihilate them all, don't leave a single one!!"


 * "He's not worth anything if he doesn't kill."
 * "We finally made it this far. It’ll just be a little longer…until we prove what our lives are worth, won’t it?"


 * "……An animal… What are you even living for? You,…and me." (Young Toma, about Tsurugi who licks spilled milk from the floor.)

Trivia

 * Favorite color: Dark grey.
 * Favorite food: bitter chocolate.
 * Favorite drink: mineral water.
 * According to the fan book, his personal  parameter is "to smoke a lot" which he scored 9/10, his best, however, is "tactics" where he scored a 10. His weakest parameter is "spirit of cooperation" where he scored a 1 (only Licht scored even worse with 0).
 * His kanji means, "Warrior of peace in a tower".
 * He seemed to be a good student, as you could see on some of his tests (he scored quite high).
 * He probably learned to ignore screams in his childhood - when he ignored his parents shouting (later he ignores Tsurugi's screams.)
 * His parent used to call him "ashtray" or "bastard".
 * He and Toru went to school together.
 * His username on Servamphoto (a parody of Instagram) is thetower16.
 * In a 2022 popularity poll, Toma came tenth in the WEB version of the poll, and second in the mail-in version.

Touma Taishi